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[blockquote]MAY 19, 2012 – 2:25 P.M.
Position-by-position breakdown – Lines
Quinton Sales, Hafis Williams anchor offensive, defensive lines in '12
BY JASON KENNEDY, Gazette Staff
Editor’s note: As spring practices have concluded for the UMass football team, the Daily Hampshire Gazette will look toward the fall of 2012 and examine each position as the season approaches.
The Massachusetts football team’s offensive and defensive lines may provide the biggest comfort to Charley Molnar and his coaching staff this season. In all, four starting offensive linemen will return in 2012, including star center Quinton Sales. On the other side of the ball, the defensive line has been the most impressive unit in spring practice, according to Molnar.
THE POOL – OFFENSIVE LINE
– NICK SPELLER, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 334 pounds
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
NCAA 13 rating: 74 OVR
The lowdown: Speller returns to left tackle for a dominant offensive line that helped pave the way for star tailback Jonathan Hernandez to rush for over 1,000 yards last season. Speller, who transferred from Syracuse prior to the 2010 season, started all 11 games at left tackle last season.
– MALCOLM SPELLER, Senior
Height: 6-fot-4
Weight: 300 pounds
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
NCAA 13 rating: 63 OVR
The lowdown: Speller transferred from Bowie State, where he played in 2009 and 2010, but didn’t see much action for UMass in 2011. In 2012, however, he’ll be called upon to be the starting left guard, where he appeared two games last season as a backup.
– QUINTON SALES, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 286 pounds
Hometown: Ft. Washington, Md.
NCAA 13 rating: 71 OVR
The lowdown: Sales will be called upon to be a veteran voice in the locker room in 2012 as the team’s starting center. A versatile lineman, Sales can play both guard and center. He started every game last year as the center, where he was instrumental in helping the offense rack up 360.1 yards of total offense per game.
– STEPHANE MILHIM, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 315 pounds
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
NCAA 13 rating: 70 OVR
The lowdown: A year after starting 10 games at right guard, the veteran Milhim will be counted on to do the same in 2012. The redshirt senior is also versatile, as he has played every position on the offensive line at some point during his college career.
– ANTHONY DIMA, RS Junior
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 302 pounds
Hometown: Centereach, N.Y.
NCAA 13 rating: 68 OVR
The lowdown: Dima rounds out a very experienced offensive line group at right tackle, where he started every game in 2011.
THE POOL – DEFENSIVE LINE
– HAFIS WILLIAMS, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 295 pounds
Hometown: Elizabeth, N.J.
NCAA 13 rating: 82 OVR
The lowdown: Williams, like Deion Walker and Michael Cox, has a year of eligibility left after graduating from Notre Dame last spring. Like Walker and Cox, he didn’t see much playing time at his former school, but will play a formidable role as part of the UMass defensive line in 2012.
In all, Williams played 24 games at Notre Dame, posting 19 tackles as a nose guard, where he will occupy the UMass line as part of its 3-4 scheme.
– CHARLES THOMPSON, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 282 pounds
Hometown: Teaneck, N.J.
NCAA 13 rating: 68 OVR
The lowdown: With the presence of Williams, Thompson will have to take on a new role on the defensive line for UMass in 2012. Thompson, who started every game at nose tackle last season, will likely have to move right end to pave the way for Williams. In 2011, Thompson racked up 35 tackles (16 solo, 19 assisted), which included four tackles for loss and three sacks.
– BRANDON POTVIN, RS Junior
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 262 pounds
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
NCAA 13 rating: 70 OVR
The lowdown: Rounding out an experienced defensive line is Potvin, who started seven games and played in all 11 at left end for the Minutemen in 2011. In 2012, it’ll be more of the same of the redshirt junior, who topped all linemen last season with 36 tackles (18 solo, 18 assisted), which included 4.5 tackles for a loss.
jkennedy@gazette.net
[/blockquote]
Position-by-position breakdown – Lines
Quinton Sales, Hafis Williams anchor offensive, defensive lines in '12
BY JASON KENNEDY, Gazette Staff
Editor’s note: As spring practices have concluded for the UMass football team, the Daily Hampshire Gazette will look toward the fall of 2012 and examine each position as the season approaches.
The Massachusetts football team’s offensive and defensive lines may provide the biggest comfort to Charley Molnar and his coaching staff this season. In all, four starting offensive linemen will return in 2012, including star center Quinton Sales. On the other side of the ball, the defensive line has been the most impressive unit in spring practice, according to Molnar.
THE POOL – OFFENSIVE LINE
– NICK SPELLER, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 334 pounds
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
NCAA 13 rating: 74 OVR
The lowdown: Speller returns to left tackle for a dominant offensive line that helped pave the way for star tailback Jonathan Hernandez to rush for over 1,000 yards last season. Speller, who transferred from Syracuse prior to the 2010 season, started all 11 games at left tackle last season.
– MALCOLM SPELLER, Senior
Height: 6-fot-4
Weight: 300 pounds
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
NCAA 13 rating: 63 OVR
The lowdown: Speller transferred from Bowie State, where he played in 2009 and 2010, but didn’t see much action for UMass in 2011. In 2012, however, he’ll be called upon to be the starting left guard, where he appeared two games last season as a backup.
– QUINTON SALES, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 286 pounds
Hometown: Ft. Washington, Md.
NCAA 13 rating: 71 OVR
The lowdown: Sales will be called upon to be a veteran voice in the locker room in 2012 as the team’s starting center. A versatile lineman, Sales can play both guard and center. He started every game last year as the center, where he was instrumental in helping the offense rack up 360.1 yards of total offense per game.
– STEPHANE MILHIM, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 315 pounds
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Fla.
NCAA 13 rating: 70 OVR
The lowdown: A year after starting 10 games at right guard, the veteran Milhim will be counted on to do the same in 2012. The redshirt senior is also versatile, as he has played every position on the offensive line at some point during his college career.
– ANTHONY DIMA, RS Junior
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 302 pounds
Hometown: Centereach, N.Y.
NCAA 13 rating: 68 OVR
The lowdown: Dima rounds out a very experienced offensive line group at right tackle, where he started every game in 2011.
THE POOL – DEFENSIVE LINE
– HAFIS WILLIAMS, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 295 pounds
Hometown: Elizabeth, N.J.
NCAA 13 rating: 82 OVR
The lowdown: Williams, like Deion Walker and Michael Cox, has a year of eligibility left after graduating from Notre Dame last spring. Like Walker and Cox, he didn’t see much playing time at his former school, but will play a formidable role as part of the UMass defensive line in 2012.
In all, Williams played 24 games at Notre Dame, posting 19 tackles as a nose guard, where he will occupy the UMass line as part of its 3-4 scheme.
– CHARLES THOMPSON, RS Senior
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 282 pounds
Hometown: Teaneck, N.J.
NCAA 13 rating: 68 OVR
The lowdown: With the presence of Williams, Thompson will have to take on a new role on the defensive line for UMass in 2012. Thompson, who started every game at nose tackle last season, will likely have to move right end to pave the way for Williams. In 2011, Thompson racked up 35 tackles (16 solo, 19 assisted), which included four tackles for loss and three sacks.
– BRANDON POTVIN, RS Junior
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 262 pounds
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
NCAA 13 rating: 70 OVR
The lowdown: Rounding out an experienced defensive line is Potvin, who started seven games and played in all 11 at left end for the Minutemen in 2011. In 2012, it’ll be more of the same of the redshirt junior, who topped all linemen last season with 36 tackles (18 solo, 18 assisted), which included 4.5 tackles for a loss.
jkennedy@gazette.net
[/blockquote]
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